51Թ

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View synonyms for

spouse

[ noun spous, spouz; verb spouz, spous ]

noun

  1. either member of a married pair in relation to the other; one's husband or wife.


verb (used with object)

spoused, spousing.
  1. Obsolete. to join, give, or take in marriage.

spouse

noun

  1. a person's partner in marriage spousal
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. obsolete.
    tr to marry
“Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged” 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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Other 51Թ Forms

  • dzܲhǴǻ noun
  • dzܲl adjective
  • ܲ·dzܲ adjective
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of spouse1

First recorded in 1150–1200; (for the noun) Middle English, from Old French spous (masculine), spouse (feminine), shortened from espous, espouse, from Latin ōԲܲ, ōԲ, literally, “pledged (man, woman),” noun uses of past participle of DzԻŧ “to pledge”; (for the verb) Middle English spousen, from Old French esp(o)user; espouse
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51Թ History and Origins

Origin of spouse1

C12: from Old French spus (masculine), spuse (feminine), from Latin sponsus, sponsa betrothed man or woman, from DzԻŧ to promise solemnly
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Example Sentences

Examples have not been reviewed.

Janice, who is unwilling or unable to open up, is not nearly as needy as her spouse, who starts espousing biblical platitudes with the desperate certainty of a drowning man grateful for any life raft.

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The burden of childcare and domestic labor fell disproportionately on women, especially with married couples where both spouses were trying to work from home to avoid the virus.

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I know spouses who never worked and never contributed are able to receive Social Security payments based on their spouse’s earnings.

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Dear Liz: I want to apply for a benefit based on my spouse’s Social Security but how long do we have to have been married?

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Answer: Your spouse won’t be eligible for a spousal benefit until you apply for your own.

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More About Spouse

What doesspouse mean?

dzDzԱ’s spouse is the person who they’re married to—their partner in marriage.

A spouse who’s a man is often called a husband, while a spouse who’s a woman is often called a wife. The word partner is a gender-neutral way to refer to one’s spouse. People most commonly use one of these terms when talking about or introducing their spouse, as opposed to using the word spouse. The word spouse is more commonly used in formal or official contexts, such as on forms that require family relations to be specified.

An adjective form of spouse is spousal, meaning relating to or involving marriage, as in Does this insurance plan provide spousal coverage?

Example: If you and your spouse file your taxes jointly, you may be eligible for certain rebates.

Where doesspouse come from?

The first records of the word spouse come from the 1100s. It comes from the Latin terms ōԲܲ and ōԲ, meaning “betrothed man” and “betrothed woman.” These terms derive from the Latin verb DzԻŧ, “to pledge.”

A spouse is the person who has pledged to wed another person and be united in marriage with that person, usually in some official way. This union is formally called wedlock. Fittingly, wed, wedlock, and wedding are all based on a word that means “pledge.”

Did you know ... ?

What are some other forms related to spouse?

  • spousal (adjective)
  • spousehood (noun)

What are some synonyms for spouse?

What are some words that often get used in discussing spouse?

How isspouse used in real life?

Spouse is perhaps most commonly used in formal or official contexts as a way of referring to a marriage partner in a gender-neutral way.

Try usingspouse!

Is spouse used correctly in the following sentence?

The event is open to employees and their spouses.

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